Thursday, 30 April 2015

Next week is the General Election. Kepier will be holding a mock election as part of the Citizenship programme to raise awareness of the current political system. Staff have volunteered to represent a party and its policies. This is not necessarily representative of their own views. We encourage you to talk to your child about all of the political parties and their policies to increase awareness and knowledge of democracy in Britain.

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

I would like to inform you of the following Volunteer Walk Leader training course I am delivering as follows:

Date : Monday 18th May 2015

Time : 9.00 – 12.30

Venue : Herrington Country Park Rangers Office

What is Volunteer Walk Leader training?

The Volunteer Walk Leader course is a free course for anyone who would like to lead walks for Sunderland City Councils Wellness Walking Programme, as part of the national Walking for Health scheme. This can include front, middle or back markers.

Walking for Health is part of England’s largest network of health walk schemes, helping all kinds of people to lead a more active lifestyle. Our walks are led by friendly, knowledgeable people, specially trained for the job. Along with fellow walkers, our walk leaders provide all the advice and encouragement a new walker needs to build fitness at a pace that’s right for them. In just a short time, a small amount of regular exercise can significantly improve a person’s health, well-being and confidence. And from what our walkers tell us, there’s plenty of laughter to be heard on our walks.

By the end of the course you will:

·Understand what Walking for health is about

·Understand the benefits of walking and physical activity

·Get to know the role of a walk leader

·Information on mental health and learning disabilities

·Have access to follow-up support and resources to help people make the most of your

skills, including a Volunteer Walk Leader manual

·Be confident to lead a health walk in due course (following the guidance that goes with the progress card)

·Have met and shared best practice with other walk leaders

What to bring on the day:

·Suitable clothing and footwear – you will be taking part in a short demonstration health walk.

·Your own snacks and/or drinks – unfortunately no catering will be provided. There is a café within the training venue.

What is expected of you after the training day?

1.When you have completed the walk leader training day your cascade trainer will sign and date your progress card to show that you have attended the training session. They will also need to sign off the following stages of your progress card.

2.You will then observe 1-2 health walks and take note of how the existing walk leaders run them.

3.The final stage is to lead your own walk.

4.When you have completed these stages, and your progress card has been fully signed off, you will be a fully qualified walk leader and will receive your certificate from your coordinator.

For information –

Lots of people like to start by “back marking” and you will not be expected to do anything you are not comfortable with. A back marker is a trained leader who walks with the back of the group of walkers, making sure no-one gets left behind.

You will be part of the national network of health walk schemes and will have the opportunity to attend meetings and walk leader get together with the scheme coordinator and other walk leaders as well as being given access to further training and support.